thanks so much for watching. chris matthews and "hardball" is next. stay there. severely conservative. let's play "hardball." good evening. i'm chris matthews down in washington. let me start with this tonight. did you get the impression during the campaign the press was trying to be even hand snd do you think the people were pushing what we call balance at the expense of the obvious facts? that the day-to-day stories never got across the obvious big fact. that the democrats in this election were like democrats

going back to jack kennedy. but the republicans were far to the right of anything we've seen from that party ever. self-deportation, forget the 47%, treat women like they belong in binders, ignore the rights of gay people, crack down on abortion rights even in cases of rape. all those wild statements, all the lingo in the gop platform approved in tampa and not a word. that one of the political parties has gone so far star board that not even ronald reagan could get aboard. and not jeb bush. tonight we're going to nail it. we go to the truth. and why was the truth not dare be reported in the mainstream media. joining me now is joan walsh of salon and david corn of mother jones. thank you both for joining us. here's what norm wornstooen told "the huffington post" about the broadcast networks. i can't recall a campaign where i've seen more lying going on and it wasn't si mettic, but it

seemed pretty clear to me that the republican campaign was just far more over the top. that's the unreported big story of american politics. if voters are going to be able to hold accountable political figures they've got to know what is going on. and if the story is they're all equally to blame, you're doing a disservice to voters and not doing what journalism is supposed to do. on "hardball" we were on the republicans throughout the primaries and during the general election. take a look at this look back. >> the crazy right rears its head. let's play "hardball." >> i didn't know there was a line between joe stalin and barney frank. >> because there's not. >> now comes this republican candidate in missouri todd akin talking about legitimate rape and spouting some cave man theory that sex which is forced cannot result in pregnancy. finally we meet the missing link. the evidence that the party of lincoln cannot get in bed with the most freakish elements of the right. is the birthers and personhood

nuts and all the rest of this my najry. >> it's not about big bird. it's about the bird brain notions you are running this campaign on. >> they cannot accept the impurity of any policy. it has to be down the line which is a fanatic. >> at least week's debate romney showed his willingness to say whatever can get him through the night. he can shift his positions denying the deal he made with the right. >> have you seen a single case when romney's broken free from the mob who's brought him this far? a single sister soldier moment, if you will, when he said to the trumps, the birthers, the norquists, the neocons, this time you ask too much. no. >> i think we're clean of the argument we didn't tap into the craziness and dishonesty of the right. but here you have norm ornstein coming out with this big book. these are serious. and they say basically the broadcast nets here. it seems to be their main

thrusts is the main broadcast networks that they tried to hard to be quote, balanced, that they missed the true symmetry of these political parties in terms of ideology. which one shifted to the right and other went to where it was generations. your thoughts about coverage. i hate to be a media critic but we're into it right now. >> it's important, chris. i did read the whole piece. it's a really interesting piece and you would enjoy it. they are talking about newspapers. they are talking about magazines. they are talking about cable. not just the broadcast networks. and they are saying it's a very -- it's a scholarly book. it's well researched. this is the amazing thing. when you read this piece, you get the sense these men are so wounded by now they are being treated as pariahs. there was one i'm not going to mention the organization, it had a fatwa against quoted norm

ornstein because he was the go-to guy. go get us other people. now norm ornstein is like a radical. they both talk in the piece how they cannot be on a show anymore unless they're balanced by republicane republicans. because in a sense they become the story themselves. it's almost tragic that this very well researched book that puts their reputation on the line saying we've got to call this out, puts them outside the pail. and they're radicals. it's really a fascinating process. >> this is an interesting story because it seems to me that reporters are always on their good. now did you hear from know other side. did you check out the other -- i don't see sources here from the other side. that's all good journalism. but if you torque a piece to the idea that both parties are basically what they've been, you miss a big story. norm ornstein's argument is you can't look at this past election like the center left versus center right and if you do you're not telling the big

story. >> there's two issues here. one is the policy issue the republicans moved so far to the right. one that dan frooum kin is hammering that i wrote a lot about to is there's an asymmetry of the lying. >> give me a couple of examples. >> i wrote a piece which is in keeping with what dan wrote saying that i thought the romney campaign was much more foundational in its lies about obama. and by that i mean that the core of his campaign, the core of his argument, obama promised to lower unemployment below 8%. not true. obama appeases, not true. obama went on an apology tour, not true. obama went to cut $5 billion off medicare. not true. a lot of his key arguments and of course the jeep ad at the end which has been declared the number one lie of the year. >> the one that offends me the

most is the apology tour. it's foundational. he's putting that down in the ground. and i want to get joan in here. he puts that down and says sort of his takeoff platform. he's apologizing but i'll be a robust patriot. i'll defend america against anything foe or friend because i'm a real american. and this guy because he recognizes we live in a world of other countries that are decent countries. they're not all the enemy out there. this right wing attitude it's just us or just us and israel against all these evil third world people and they're just crazy about that. it's so dangerous. >> to finish this point for one second. the thing is -- and this is what ornstein was saying too. that his campaign was based on a lot of major big sweeping lies. now, you can look at obama and point out that he made a mistake, misrepresented obama's policy in this way and that way. but that the overall case was not based on a series of

falsehoods against mitt romney. while that was true on the republican side. that's the asymmetry. they point out the media has a hard time saying that. it's easy to say everyone lies on both sides. but not all lies are created equal or have equal impact. >> yeah. there's this false equivalence we're trying to fight here. i think you do a good job of it. it's really engrained in the beltway culture. even in the debt ceiling debate or the fiscal cliff negotiations that neither side will give and they're both being unreasonable. and really not drilling down. the other thing they do is they really go back to newt gingrich and grover norquist. as you've talked about both these things, changing the culture of washington and making compromise impossible. >> here's something really naughty, i think in terms of policy. who can forget back in august not a million years ago when the

romney pollster neil newhow said the following. we're not going to let our campaign be kick a at a timed by fact checkers. think about that. fact checkers meaning facts. >> right. >> i was on the show with you the other night. we talked about the quotes of the year. 47%. >> that's a good one. >> i thought this should be the top two of three. that showed their view towards reality. it was an arrogance that we can say whatever we want to say. and i think in years past, this is what's changed. campaigns would not be so brazen. if caught in a lie they maybe feel some shame. here's neil newhouse telling reporters that we don't care what you say about our facts. we're going to use them anywhere. good example was what they said about barack obama changing welfare rules so people don't have to work. >> let's go back to that here. you've got people like michele bachmann who would say we should

begin an investigation of members of congress for their attitudes. allen west saying there are 79 to 81 communists in this. so it was an escalation. that was the alley-oop play. he got the ball from michele. >> she thought there might be. he confirmed news. >> you would think the nightly news or any news organization whether "the new york times" and say wait a minute, this is so freaking far out. this kind of claim goes back to at least joan mccarthy. but at least the specificity of it. and that somehow -- some people believe there are 81 communists in the democratic party. some don't agree. let's hear for the pros and the cons here. >> one of my favorites was when rick santorum insisted that president kennedy's religious speech in houston put religion out of the public sphere and made him want to throw up.

not one reporter who reported that remark went to google -- and i did -- looked at that speech and said as a matter of fact he talks about the role of religion. he talks about the priests in his life. so it's sort of like you're just -- i understand that on deadline it could be difficult, but you're just allowed to spew this stuff and people don't even sometimes use the basic tools of journalism to say really? is that what president kennedy said? >> the best line in that speech which may be kennedy's best speech was the interest here is not what church i go to, it's what america i believe in. the issue on the table here is not my beliefs or faith or lack thereof, it's about this country and what this country should say to people of faith or no faith. it should be how we treat as americans all the different belief systems. >> let me up the ante on what joan just said. that's right. people didn't check. and on deadline, there may be an excuse. to me what happened a lot during this campaign is even when

politicians and i think romney did this more than obama, are called out on lies. say what they are. they still kept repeating them. the welfare lie i mentioned earlier, cutting medicare by $500 billion. again and again. it didn't matter -- >> i know. we have more freedom here on "hardball," i admit. i don't write the main bar of "the new york times." i couldn't say something like newt gingrich will never be the president of the united states. let's start that's the first lead sentence. rick santorum is never going to be nominated by today's party. but you can't do that. you have to assume there might be a chance this guy will win. who knows. i think i called newt. but i said in all fairness he can't be the devil because he looks like the devil. and we all know from grade school the devil looks like marilyn monroe. thank you joan walsh and david corn. newt always looks like newt. coming up, if you're pro

labor, this isn't the image you want broadcast all around the country. >> get the [ mute ] out of my face! get the [ mute ] out of my face! i didn't hurt nobody! get out of my face! back the [ mute ] up! >> it gets worse. that's photo of a fox news contributor being harassed. will it have the same lasting impact as what happened right there. labor has plans to fight back. but first they've got to do explaining about that. you think? also mitch mcconnell seems to be doubling down on the fiscal cliff debate saying he's out to use the debt ceiling to blackmail the country of medicare and medicaid. would they kill the recovery of this country just to get their political gain? and meanwhile, when mitt romney said this is about president obama, listen. >> speaking about small business and businesses of all kinds he

said this. if you've got a business, you didn't build that. somebody else made that happen. >> well, that was just one of the top ten finalists in politifact's top ten list. finally let me finish tonight. you'll love to hear this tonight. the ultimate victory of truth. this is "hardball" the place for politics. [ woman ] ring. ring. progresso. your soups are so awesomely delicious my husband and i can't stop eating 'em! what's...that... on your head?

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welcome back to "hardball." things got ugly yesterday in michigan when they become the 24th right to work state in a huge blow to labor. about 10,000 protesters were outside the capitol and some brought down a tent housing those from the koch brothers' americans for prosperity. and steven crowder suffered a cracked tooth. here's a video he posted online. >> get the [ mute ] out of my face! get the [ mute ] out of my face! >> you hurt a lady in there. >> i didn't hurt nobody. get the [ mute ] out of my face! back the [ mute ] up! >> stop tearing down the tent. >> back the [ mute ] up!

>> let's go to michigan where i'm joined by bill balinger. and also doug geist. he's a representative in the michigan state house. i hear you're a good reporter. what happened there yesterday? could you give us a good report on what we saw in words? >> not really. i think with 12,500 people milling around the capitol and inside the capitol, it's a miracle there wasn't more of this than there was. i think there were only three arrests, three pepper spray attacks by the police. i think you could have expected this, and i don't think we should be upset. >> well, let me ask you whether you're upset or not, i want to know what happened. so what happened? there you have a reporter from -- all right a conservative organization, fox. mun punched in the mouth by a union supporter. you don't think that's going to be used for months and years

ahead? >> yeah. >> why would it be used? it's iconic and you say it shouldn't upset people. don't you think it will? >> i'm just saying violence in the capitol in general yesterday under those circumstances i think could have been expected and it could have been a lot worse. i agree with you. there will be things extracted from confrontations whether they were in the legislature, outside the legislature, between demonstrators and the press that can be used by one side or the other as political ammunition. and it probably will be. is it fair? no, it isn't. but this is american politics as you know. happens all the time. >> well, let me go to a politician. representative geist. thank you for joining us. you had a statement out there. here you are on the floor of the michigan legislature. let's hear what you said. >> there will be blood. there will be repercussions. we know that we've got a hundred

represented folks intended to walk in saying i'm not going to pay dues anymore. >> there will be blood. what are we to take from that? there will be blood. was that a premonition? were you suspecting it would get this violent? >> the full seven-minute video kind of leads up to this point to state that this is one of the most important and divisive issues that the michigan house of representatives could have taken up. i personally do not condone violence. i do not -- >> what did you mean by blood? i'm sorry. just tell me that world. what came to mind for you? >> what came to mind for me is if you don't learn from history, you're bound to repeat the mistakes of history. and in the speech that i gave, i talked about the battle of the overpass. we snow thknow when we have two ferociously battling on the

right to work, the right to unionize, the polar of cysts on this issue, what are she possible outcomes. we have to look to history to understand what it took to get us to this point. and what i was trying to say to my colleagues was when we came in as freshman four years ago, we said that we would work together in a bipartisan manner. and i learned that lesson from tip o'neil. i boxed his belongings up and sent it off back in december of 1986. i always believed we should be able much like tip o'neil always said to leave the issues on the floor and be able to go and have a beer at 5:00. >> well, having a beer is a far cry from punching somebody in the face. >> i agree and i do not condone punching anybody in the face. i don't know what the equivalent issue would be on the far right.

but on the left -- >> while i've got you, glad so to have you on because you're in the middle of this. where is this going to end up? michigan was way ahead of everybody else in collective bargaining. one of the finest unions we've had in this country. clean as a whistle. the brothers were great men. is this going to be the face of a guy. we don't know where he's from. but what's going on in labor. is it this angry you're not going to have the finer labor movement we've had in the past where it looks like the people care about health care, looks like the people are caring about the whole economy not just their membership. can you get past the picture we're looking at? >> i don't think you ever take one or two or three people and try to paint everybody that's in that union with the same brush stroke. of course people will try to do it. but there are those hard working union members that will fight

for what's right in a non-violent manner. and that's what i believe you will see as the continuing face. >> okay. i'm going to invite that guy who threw the punch to come on this show and tell us why he did it. if he singles himself out, he won't be the face. i think he should step forward and say if there's no charges made here, i'll tell you who i am. bill, just thoughts here. these industrial states which reroot for. industrial unions that really build things. manufacturing states. is this a long trend line we're looking at or a cycle of right wing movement here? >> i'm afraid it's probably a long trend line. our percentage of union membership in the state is supposedly down to around 17%, if you can believe that. and michigan was considered the cradle of unionism. so, you know, unions are under assault. not just in the private sector,

chris, but the public sector unions. remember, right to work yesterday has effected the entire public sector union movement. and that's where most of the membership and growth has been in the union movement in the last decade or two. >> okay. it's great having you on. bill, i hear you're a great reporter. and mr. geiss, good luck on your career. one of those on the far right richard mourdock is still pointing fingers after losing the senate race in indiana. sounds like sore loser. this is "hardball" the place for politics. [ male announcer ] feeling like a shadow of your former self?

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weeks the fiscal cliff is coming to town. merry cliffmas. if the parties here cannot agree to a budget deal by january 1st, automatic spending cuts will kick in and plunge america into a second recession. and things are not looking too good. >> democrats and republicans are blaming each other for the negotiations. >> who's going to blink first? >> who's going to blink first? >> the white house is daring republicans to blink. >> obama is daring republicans literally to blink. the joke's on him because i know some republicans who have had their eyelids surgically removed. >> also what caused former indiana senate candidate richard mourdock at first the likely winner in that race to end up losing to joe donnelly? you might well point to this moment from a mourdock/donnelly debate. >> i struggled with it myself for a long time but realized life is a gift from god.

even when life begins in the horrible situation of rape it is something god intended to happen. >> mourdock's popularity plummeted after that. now he's trying to pay down campaign debt. guess who's getting blamed for his election loss in the fund raising e-mail? quote, republicans all over the country were forced to accept defeat rather than celebrate victory. in our case we found ourselves caught in the liberal media cross hairs. never has indiana seen a more obvious example of media bias by reporters more interested in defeating conservatives than reporter the news. rnc chair reince priebus had him in mind when he said this reflecting on some of the 2012 candidates. >> i think we were pretty clear on some of the dumb things that were said over the last cycle. >> not a good sign when a look back at your parties' candidates

includes the word dumb. next. what happens when romney's glen hubbard fell victim to an unexpected interruption. >> they either have to raise taxes or cut spending. that forces the congress to think about the mix between taxes and spending outside of the entitlements and spending on the entitlements. that's just not something our framers thought about, because we -- we didn't have a welfare state in those days. >> glen, are you all right? >> i'm fine. that's what happens when you criticize the welfare state. >> wow. somehow he's unfazed there. and that video went viral instantly. finally a ppp poll last week show 28% of republicans want their state to secede from the union. a quick status update from david letterman's late show. >> secession update.

still holding steady at 50 states. >> that was close. >> still in the clear, i guess. up next, are the republicans planning on using the debt ceiling deadline to blackmail the country into cutting social security and medicare and medicaid? that's ahead. you're watching "hardball" the place for politics. ♪

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i'm hampton pearson with your cnbc market wrap. the dow falls three. the s&p ended flat. the nasdaq down eight points. at today's news conference the central bank chair said interest rates would remain low as long as unplamt remains above 6.5%. and american airlines will charge $88 more for a basic ticket that includes checked

baggage and no fees for flight changes. that's it from cnbc, first in business worldwide. now back to "hardball." welcome back to "hardball." there was a hint of movement on the fiscal cliff deal between president obama and speaker boehner yesterday. here's where things stand for now. the white house sent over a proposal that lowered the revenue target for the president obama from $1.6 trillion to $1.6 trillion. he also increased spending cuts to $600 billion. so you have three things he's moving on there. speaker boehner was not impressed sending over his original offer of $800 billion in revenue. by the way that was the number last summer, summer of '11. acknowledged there's a long way to go. let's listen to him. >> i remain the most optimistic

person in this town, but we've got some serious differences. the president and i had a pretty frank conversation about just how far apart we are. >> and in an interview with barbara walters, the president held firm and said time is running out. >> taxes are going to go up one way or the other. and i think the key is to make sure that taxes go up on the high end individuals like you and me, barbara. we can afford it. it is entirely possible for us to come up with a deal, but time is running short. >> joining me right now is washington post columnist and msnbc political analyst eugene robinson. also strategist and mike huckabee campaign manager chip saltsman. i've always been impressed by people who have been campaign managers. not those who drove a car for somebody once. let me get you to because you're a republican. i think -- look. i think the president's trying here, but i can't tell what's

going on. he's lowered his revenue demand to 1.4, it's working down to where i think it'll be 1.2. also cutting spending from where he was last year at 350 up to 800. i'm sorry he's up to about 600. so he's moving. i didn't think you'd get him past 400 in terms of spending cuts. what's the republican position as you read it right now? >> well, i think the good news is that they're actually talking. i always jokingly say the more staff you see in the room, the less likely there's going to be a deal. at the end of the day these are the folks to have to make the deal. i can tell you the appetite for tax increases of any sort aren't really high. i think you've seen some senators cross the line saying let's talk about that. let's talk about the top 2%. slowly some of them are going that way. but the bulk of the conference is not there. but really they need -- my guess

is probably 40 or 50 house republicans to get some kind of deal done of which they've got maybe 20 lame ducks. >> so they're going to corral 30 or 40 to add to the lame ducks. you read it's going to be a horse and rabbit stew. it's going to be more democrats? >> absolutely. i think it passes with democrats and some republicans. it's the only way. >> easier for a democrat to buy into something. raising taxes on the rich is what they campaigned on at the cuts of entitlement programs. >> or if they get more definite. i think you could get democrats to buy into some cuts that technically don't touch the sacred cows or don't touch them in the wrong place. >> touch beneficiaries. in today's memo headline mcconnell-obama. obama wins the tax fight now on to the debt limit. indicates mcconnell is now averse to using the debt limit as a negotiating tool right now.

he says we're going to insist that we have another discussion about the future of our country in connection with the question of u.s. to raise the debt ceiling. this was of what he said last week on the senate floor. let's see what he said on tape. >> for months the president's been saying all he wants is to raise taxes on the top 2% so he can tackle the debt. and the deficit. however, yesterday he finally revealed that's not really his true intent. by demanding the power to raise the debt limit whenever he wants by as much as he wants, he showed what he's really after is assumed unprecedented power to spend taxpayer dollars without any limit at all. >> chip, is that accurate what he just said that? i think the president means how about a ceasefire the next time this comes around in two months. he's not going to get a law to get rid of the requirement. it's a law that congress passed that they have to raise it every

time them to borrow more money. he's simply saying let's not have another stop the government game, another hostage situation. how do you read what mcconnell said there? i think he misrepresented the president. >> i think there's a little bit of both on this. he sees an opportunity of making political hay. and i think the president says let's not have this fight anymore. we know how great they are at solving when there's no pressure solutions. they talk and talk. they say obviously the end of the year there's a pressure point with the fiscal cliff. they see the next pressure point being february with the debt limit to try to get some serious spending cuts and go after the big three entitlements to get what they want which is to lower deficit through spending cuts. >> let's go to mcconnell. he's not a popular guy anywhere. least of all right here. but let me ask you this. is he stupid? he's not a stupid man. why would he say he would stop the government, have us risk another lowered credit rating in

order to cut programs which are essential to so many people like social security and medicare? >> to throw the debt ceiling thing out there might be popular among some republican office holders in the city. i don't think it's really popular beyond that. what he said is a complete misrepresentation because after all raising the debt ceiling is to pay for what congress has already authorized. pay the bills that congress has already incurred. i don't think this is a fight you really want to have with president obama. he -- as a point of principle, he really does believe -- >> bring on a second recession. screw up the economy so bad that obama's record in history doesn't make sense. he is a real bad guy lately. i think mcconnell has stopped being a real conservative and is being a guy that wants to bring down obama. anyway, the new nbc poll shows democratic party approval higher than republican. approval of the democrats 44%.

of republicans 30%. it shows that 59% that president obama has a mandate to eliminate tax cuts for the rich. how do you look at that, chip? that's solid that 59%. how can the republicans on the hill deny it? >> well, we lost a major -- we lost a national election, obviously. we didn't gain control of the senate. we did get control of the house. president obama is the guy that beat us. and so they're riding high right now. and they have framed this issue about tax increases on the rich. and as i jokingly say when you polled 98% of the people they always agree tax the other guys. and when we -- >> i know. don't tax me. tax the guy behind the tree. let me ask you a question. you're a great guest. would mike huckabee had won this general election if he was the nominee? >> i'm biased, but i think he would have had an opportunity to win and beat obama for one simple reason. he's a conservative but he's not

angry about it. and he's able to discuss what he believes in a way that doesn't make people mad and really opens him up to a conservative way of thinking. >> yes or no would he have won? would he have won? yes or no? >> i think yes. >> i want to make news around here. we want you on more often. thank you chip saltsman who ran the almost happened mike huckabee campaign. and robinson, thank you. up next, this will perk you up. it's positive. in europe distortion of dishonesty. this is "hardball" the place for politics. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future.

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coming up the biggest lies of this election year. politifact's got the list and it's coming up next. you're watching "hardball." anncr: some politicians seem to think medicare and... social security are just numbers in a budget. well, we worked hard for those benefits. we earned them. and if washington tries to cram decisions about the future... of these programs into a last minute budget deal... we'll all pay the price. aarp is fighting to protect seniors with responsible... solutions that strengthen medicare and... social security for generations to come.

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progresso. in what world do potatoes, bacon and cheese add up to 100 calories? your world. ♪ [ whispers ] real bacon... creamy cheese... 100 calories... [ chef ] ma'am [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. welcome back to "hardball." each year the editors and reporters at politifact, the fact checking website run by the tampa bay times, shows their lie of the year. and there was plenty of competition this year, of course. we're going to count down to the winner tonight. we selected a few nominees that got a lot of coverage here on "hardball." the first is that under --

actually that under president obama welfare recipients would get welfare checks without doing anything. the romney campaign turned it into an ad. here's part of it. >> under obama's plan you wouldn't have to work and wouldn't have to train for a job. they just send you your welfare check. and welfare to work goes back to being welfare. >> and the winner of politifact's lie of the year is johnathan allen. michael, what do you think of that one? that was welfare you get the check out the work. turns out several republican governors had said we want to change the rules so we get more education to work permanently and it'll be more effective. nothing about welfare without work requirement. >> yeah. i think it was a couple republican governors. this was a minor thing they wanted waivers from the administration. the administration said they might be willing to give them if they came up with good plans. and the ad -- what was so misleading about the ad was the

implication that obama had this plan. the implication was obama had this plan that would undo the welfare from the '90s. they might give waivers to a good plan in the states presented. but there was no sweeping plan. so there was a grain of truth to it but the basic overall message was wildly misleading. >> let's face it, made the president look like he was in favor of the people who are welfare cheats basically. i want to give them something free, right? >> of course that would be a great position for him to >> also separated from clinton, which was smart, i guess. the one that got a lot of mileage out there was mitt romney's assertion that president obama had gone on an apology tour overseas. romney even included it in his acceptance speech at the republican national convention. let's look at this one. >> i will begin my presidency with a jobs tour. president obama began his presidency with an apology tour.

america, he said, dictated to other nations. no, mr. president, america has freed other nations from dictators. >> you like if way he gets a little lack ri moes? he gets teary-eyed. >> no apology. no tour. the only thing that the democrats were saying when they came in, what obama was saying, look, george bush alienated a lot of our friends and enemies. we've got to get back only a path where the united states is in a better place, vis-a-vis the rest of the world. nothing like an apology tour. and, by the way, president obama did, in fact, take out some dictators himself. >> that's the one that strikes me, michael. i think he was setting that up as a predicate. he was going to be one of these american exceptionalists that went around saying we're always right, you're always wrong. get out of the way. i thought it was war talk. >> yeah, romney's foreign policy message never made a lot of

sense. his message essentially seem today be i'm going to talk tougher. i'm somehow going to twist putin's arm a little bit harder. it was very tonal. there was no they're there. that was a good example of kind of having to cook up this idea that obama was an apologyist and accepting american decline. that's why he was so upset with benghazi. >> let's look at this. this is an ad by the super pact supporting president obama for being false. it was a devastating but powerful ad that left the impression that mitt romney and bane capital had the responsibility for a woman's death. >> when milt romney and bane closed the plant, i lost my health care. a short time after that, my wife became ill. i don't know how long she was sick.

and i think maybe she didn't say anything because she knew that we couldn't afford the insurance. and then one day, she became ill and then i took her up to the jackson county hospital and admitted her for pneumonia and that's when they found the cancer. by then, it was stage four. there was nothing they could do for her. and she passed away in 22 days. i do not think mitt romney realizes what he's done to anyone. further more, i do not think mitt romney is concerned. >> over the top, john? >> i mean, it's a very tragic story. it's easy to feel for this guy. but mitt romney had nothing to do -- certainly had nothing to do with his wife getting cancer. certainly didn't have anything to do with her dying. this is one of those super pacts democrats were so angry about new money coming in. and then they go and raise money and come out with an ad like this. but i think if it was run on the other side saying obama killed

people with his health care plan. >> you don't have the president coming out saying i paid for this ad because he didn't even look at it. anyway, the lie of the year comes from the romney campaign saying president obama was responsible for jobs, cheep jobs, being sent over to china. something that never happened. here's parts of it. let's listen. >> obama took gm and kries ler into bankruptcy and sold chrysler who were going to build jeeps in china. mitt romney will fight for every american job. >> of course, that's the jeep ad, michael crowley. sometimes these guys get caught in realtime because the governor of the state and everybody said didn't happen. >> right. well, chris, this is one of those wonderful examples where something can be factually accurate and still a complete lie. in other words, the language in that ad i believe stands up. that chrysler was going to begin making jeeps in china.

>> for chinese. >> right. right. it made perfect sense. a lot of auto-companies do this. obviously, that's the clear implication of the ad. so the fundamental message is a lie. they just covered thems enough with the language. maybe they thought they wouldn't get called out on it. i think they were desperate to win ohio. maybe it was a net loss. >> i think it's one of those things like voter suppression. whiplash against it. thank you so much, michael. thank you, jonathan. same with you. when we return, let me finish with the ultimate triumph this year of, believe it or not. these deals all seem great at the time... but later... [ shirt ] merry christmas, everybody! not so much. ho ho ho! this isn't that kind of deal. [ male announcer ] break from the holiday stress. save on ground shipping at fedex office.

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. let me finish tonight with this. memory is a fascinating thing. what we choose to hang onto hangs on in our mind no matter what we choose. you remember the president's bad night in that first debate. actually, that's what i'm trying hard to get out of my mind. you remember the oddness of watching mitt romney standing in front of those rich people in florida talking trash about the folks who can't afford to pay $10,000 to sit all dressed up listening to this stuff and feeling so successful in life. you remember the times that one side or the other said something in a tv ad you knew was wrong and it bothered you? if you're like me, you rebel that occasion when the sigh you often agree with said something that just isn't fair. so it's a real battle of imsi